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Network Vision/LTE - Philadelphia Metro Market (including Lehigh Valley/Reading)


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Went to downtown Allentown to checkout the new PPL Center hockey arena today - there was a free public open house.  I was really impressed by the building, but also by the network.  They let people down onto the floor (no ice yet) and, even though I didn't have LTE (maybe there is 800 there but I don't have a triband yet), my 3G signal was at -90.  Which I thought was pretty impressive, considering it's a massive steel building, I was at the lowest level, and that part of the building is actually underground.

 

Outside, I had LTE at like -78 or so.  There must be a tower near by.  But, things should be good during a Phantoms game!

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Looking to invite est in a Tri-Band device. Spend time in Glenside, South Philly, and Cherry Hill. Can anyone speak to the general CSFB issue being evident in those areas? As in, will I have a functioning phone that won't stay on JUST 3G/voice or just LTE? I just want to be able to receive and make phone calls and have data be available at any given time without having to perpetually toggle airplane mode.

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Looking to invite est in a Tri-Band device. Spend time in Glenside, South Philly, and Cherry Hill. Can anyone speak to the general CSFB issue being evident in those areas? As in, will I have a functioning phone that won't stay on JUST 3G/voice or just LTE? I just want to be able to receive and make phone calls and have data be available at any given time without having to perpetually toggle airplane mode.

I didn't have CSFB problems in South Philly, City Center and the Airport areas last April. So those areas should be fine.

 

Sprint CSFB problems are pretty much over now, except occasionally at a new site here and there when they come online or if the CSFB network goes offline temporarily because of a problem at the switch.

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I didn't have CSFB problems in South Philly, City Center and the Airport areas last April. So those areas should be fine.

 

Sprint CSFB problems are pretty much over now, except occasionally at a new site here and there when they come online or if the CSFB network goes offline temporarily because of a problem at the switch.

Thank you for your response! According to the Sprint map, it states that the stated regions are all covered by Spark. I just wanted to make sure that in driving through various regions, the CSFB issue wasn't going to be evident (didn't want to reboot or toggle airplane mode).

 

So if I purchase a N5, do I just purchase any LTE SIM card and am ready to go?

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Thank you for your response! According to the Sprint map, it states that the stated regions are all covered by Spark. I just wanted to make sure that in driving through various regions, the CSFB issue wasn't going to be evident (didn't want to reboot or toggle airplane mode).

 

So if I purchase a N5, do I just purchase any LTE SIM card and am ready to go?

You need to have a Sprint Micro SIM card and you will need to call or go online to your account and add your IMEI. If you don't do both, you'll have problems. (I think you have to skip the last digit if you enter yourself)

 

Additionally, you cannot use an N5 that originally was purchased from Tmo. It must have come from Google Play or Sprint initially or it cannot be activated on Sprint. Only N5's from Sprint or Google are in the Sprint database whitelist.

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You need to have a Sprint Micro SIM card and you will need to call or go online to your account and add your IMEI. If you don't do both, you'll have problems.

 

Additionally, you cannot use an N5 that originally was purchased from Tmo. It must have come from Google Play or Sprint initially or it cannot be activated on Sprint. Only N5's from Sprint or Google are in the Sprint database whitelist.

 

Whew, glad I came here. When I read up on this before, it seemed like any given N5 was going to be acceptable. Really appreciate the heads up!

 

Is there a certain order that is necessitated? (E.g. call before popping Micro SIM | pop in Micro SIM THEN call)

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Whew, glad I came here. When I read up on this before, it seemed like any given N5 was going to be acceptable. Really appreciate the heads up!

 

Is there a certain order that is necessitated? (E.g. call before popping Micro SIM | pop in Micro SIM THEN call)

I've done it both ways without any issue. So I don't think that matters.

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I've done it both ways without any issue. So I don't think that matters.

Also, if I am in a region (different state/region) where CSFB is an issue, is there a way to force only voice and SMS? I don't mind if I don't have data but if I can't even have voice/SMS, that is a deal breaker for me...

 

Also, when you said that CSFB isn't that big of an issue anymore, is that included eCSFB? or in your reference of "CSFB", is it distinct from "eCSFB".?

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Also, if I am in a region (different state/region) where CSFB is an issue, is there a way to force only voice and SMS? I don't mind if I don't have data but if I can't even have voice/SMS, that is a deal breaker for me...

 

Sure, just use the general settings menu to put the handset into "3G" mode.  You will have CDMA1X voice/SMS/data and EV-DO data.

 

AJ

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Also, when you said that CSFB isn't that big of an issue anymore, is that included eCSFB? or in your reference of "CSFB", is it distinct from "eCSFB".?

 

There is no distinction that will impact your usage.  CSFB is a generic term to describe all Circuit Switched Fallback.  eCSFB is CSFB.  Kind of like saying all pairs of Levi's are jeans.  But not all jeans are Levi's.  Not all CSFB is eCSFB.  But all eCSFB is CSFB.

 

eCSFB is just the newest iteration of CSFB technology that Sprint is deploying in Network Vision.  For most intents and purposes to all but our most advanced network enthusiasts they are synonymous and can be used interchangeably.  Any Sprint Triband device will operate on any CSFB or eCSFB technology deployed on the Sprint network.

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There is no distinction that will impact your usage.  CSFB is a generic term to describe all Circuit Switched Fallback.  eCSFB is CSFB.  Kind of like saying all pairs of Levi's are jeans.  But not all jeans are Levi's.  Not all CSFB is eCSFB.  But all eCSFB is CSFB.

 

eCSFB is just the newest iteration of CSFB technology that Sprint is deploying in Network Vision.  For most intents and purposes to all but our most advanced network enthusiasts they are synonymous and can be used interchangeably.  Any Sprint Triband device will operate on any CSFB or eCSFB technology deployed on the Sprint network.

 

Is there a difference between a Sprint store purchased N5 and a Play Store N5?

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Is there a difference between a Sprint store purchased N5 and a Play Store N5?

The Sprint retail package comes pre loaded with a Sprint sim and doesn't have the sim removal tool Google provides with play store nexus 5s.

 

Sent from my VS980 4G using Tapatalk

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The Sprint retail package comes pre loaded with a Sprint sim and doesn't have the sim removal tool Google provides with play store nexus 5s.

Sent from my VS980 4G using Tapatalk

But the Sprint given Micro SIM is the same as all of Sprint's micro SIMs, correct? So my Sprint Moto X's micro SIM will work...

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But the Sprint given Micro SIM is the same as all of Sprint's micro SIMs, correct? So my Sprint Moto X's micro SIM will work...

 

Yes.  But they will have to transfer the UICC profile from your Moto X to your new N5.  And that is done online or by calling after you have the N5 in hand.

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But the Sprint given Micro SIM is the same as all of Sprint's micro SIMs, correct? So my Sprint Moto X's micro SIM will work...

Yes. The sim slot release hole on the nexus 5 is smaller than any other phone I've owned. I had to use a small safety pin, my traditional paper clip method wouldn't fit.

 

Sent from my VS980 4G using Tapatalk

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Yes.  But they will have to transfer the UICC profile from your Moto X to your new N5.  And that is done online or by calling after you have the N5 in hand.

Is ICCID the same as UICC? If not, where do I find the UICC? On the SIM?

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Yes. The sim slot release hole on the nexus 5 is smaller than any other phone I've owned. I had to use a small safety pin, my traditional paper clip method wouldn't fit.

 

That is almost the ideal setup for a sexual joke, but I will refrain.

 

I will add, though, that my Nexus 5 came with a SIM release tool.  So, where is your tool?  Can you not get your tool up and put it in that slot?

 

AJ

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That is almost the ideal setup for a sexual joke, but I will refrain.

 

I will add, though, that my Nexus 5 came with a SIM release tool.  So, where is your tool?  Can you not get your tool up and put it in that slot?

 

AJ

My Nexus 5 happened to be a Sprint retail package from Best Buy that was price matched with the Google Play store for me, so no included tool. My existing tool was far too big for the hole.

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My existing tool was far too big for the hole.

 

Is that what she said?  I did not know that your Nexus 5 was a girl.  My Nexus 5 is definitely male.  I do not have any girl phones.

 

AJ

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